As part of its efforts to give Florida voters nonpartisan information about judges and judicial elections, The Florida Bar has prepared the Guide for Voters in both English and Spanish for distribution. 

The Florida Bar’s Guide for Voters is an easy-to-read brochure for voters. It explains what the courts do, the role of judges and the merit retention process.

The guide answers questions such as:

• “What is the difference between a county and circuit court judge and an appellate judge?”
• “Why is it important to vote in judicial elections and merit retention elections?” and
• “What exactly does a judge do?” 

While many judicial elections will be settled by the primary on Aug. 28, merit retention elections and runoffs will be on the Nov. 6 General Election ballot.

The Guide for Voters is part of the Bar’s voter education efforts, located on the bar’s website at www.thefloridabar.org/thevotesinyourcourt. Voter resources also include Judicial Candidate Voluntary Statements, results of the Bar’s merit retention poll, which will be published in September, and information about the appellate judges themselves on the merit retention ballot in November.

If you have questions, please contact me at The Florida Bar’s Public Information and Bar Services Department at (850) 561-5669 or by emailing me at slyle@floridabar.org.